


Tactics

by IFallLikeLeavesAndSnow



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Background threats, Bucky is paranoid, M/M, Or Is he?, Public Display of Affection, Subways
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-11
Updated: 2016-03-11
Packaged: 2018-05-26 01:23:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6218134
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IFallLikeLeavesAndSnow/pseuds/IFallLikeLeavesAndSnow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Steve has picked up some spy training and Bucky is a tactical genius.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The supermarket was far too crowded for Steve's comfort. Should their pursuers break cover, civilians would undoubtedly be caught in the crossfire. On the other hand, they were going for stealth extraction, so the odds of he and Bucky making it out weren't totally unrealistic.

Not that it would stop him if they were.

The jeans he'd, ahem "borrowed" were a bit loose, but the belt he'd snagged managed to keep them up. His hat was tipped over his head enough to shroud his face from casual perusal, but not so much as to seem purposeful. Bucky meanwhile, was having a harder time trying to blend in. His shirt was noticeably tight, drawing a not insignificant amount of looks from the people around. Thankfully he'd procured a baggy shirt for himself. Men with their size and builds didn't usually pass unnoticed. Bucky's recently cut hair was kept out of sight underneath a beanie, which he had accepted stoically, though Steve had caught a twitch at the corner of his mouth when he'd put it on. The shopping basket was held loosely in his hand as he made his way through the store. In his periphery, he caught site of Bucky, walking a few isles to the left. A wall of people emerged from another isle, so he cut down the one to his left, meeting up with his friend.

"They're right behind us," Steve said as he eyed several different jars of salsa.

"I know," Bucky replied, holding up two different bags of chips, studying their images.

"The exit should be three isles over at the end of the store." Putting the salsa with the smiling tomato wearing a sombrero into the basket, Steve turned around, looking at boxes of pasta. In doing so, he glanced over and realized that the men had turned down their isle.

"Shit." He murmured.

"Language," Bucky said with a small smirk, tossing a bag of Dorito's into the basket.

Steve sighed and idly cursed his teammate. _Darn it Tony, did you have to tell **everyone**. _ "Any chance we can avoid them?"

Bucky crouched down, looking at different spices as he glanced over. "No"

The men were nearing their part of the isle. Different scenarios raced through Bucky's mind as he thought of how he could disable them as quietly and efficiently as possible. Slight bulges, indicating guns at their sides, and one of them had the arm movements of someone with a knife concealed in their sleeve. He was trying to choose between approaching them while his disguise lasted, or tossing something at them. Turning to Steve to ask his opinion, he was surprised when the other man grabbed his face. Before he could formulate a question, Steve brought their faces together.

It was . . . not bad. Actually it was quite a bit better than not bad. Who knew that Steve's lips were so soft? He was just considering what type of chap stick Steve was using -something cherry flavored he thought- when they broke apart.

The other men were past them and walking away from the exit.

"What?" He asked.

Steve shot him a look "Public displays of affection make people very uncomfortable." He said.

"Huh?"

"Come on" Steve said, walking towards the exit, basket in hand.

"Uwah?"


	2. Chapter 2

The subway seemed to be a great place to lose them.

Then again maybe not. Even in New York, there weren't many men who could be Steve Rogers or Bucky Barnes. The subway was cramped, sweaty, and hot. Steve bore it with his usual determination and Bucky had been in far more uncomfortable situations than this. As was typical of those on a New York subway, unless you were a super villain, a Broadway troupe, or naked -and even then not always- no one paid them much attention.

Everything seemed to be going fine. They'd lost them a few weeks ago, and their present departure from their safe house was merely a precaution after being spotted by a man who they'd seen more than a few times looking around the street. He might've been looking for an apartment, but Bucky's instincts demanded that they leave, and so Steve had agreed. The train eked to a stop, and a few people got off. Even more got on. It wasn't particularly comfortable, but that was what they got for being on the subway at rush hour.

Steve was pondering where they ought to stay next, when Bucky subtly nudged him and directed his attention to two men who'd just boarded. Average build, average height, average hair, average in every way.

Except for the outline of guns in their pockets and the way their eyes roamed over the car, checking every person. It was slow going, and from the angle the two were at it would take a while for them to notice them, but notice them they would. Steve looked at Bucky, who had a strangely contemplative look on his face. Then, far too smoothly for someone his size, Bucky stood and moved behind a few people, out of sight of the two men. Steve was about to tell him that that wasn't going to work when Bucky opened his mouth and started to sing.

"Ee-e-e-oh-mum-oh-weh"

The look of utter shock on Steve's face could've out powered the Arc Reactor. Bucky, though clearly aware of the look Steve was giving him, continued to sing.

"Ee-e-e-oh-mum-oh-weh"

The tune was familiar, which meant that it was probably on one of the many sheets of paper he'd written various bits of pop-culture on. When Bucky got to actual words, it came flooding back to him. What a weird video that had been.

"In the jungle, the mighty jungle, the lion sleeps tonight. In the jungle, the quiet jungle, the lion sleeps tonight."

Perhaps the least odd part was how good it sounded. Bucky had always had a good singing voice, though he'd had little cause to use it growing up. Singing was not and never had been Steve's forte, but if it would get the rest of the crowd to join in and distract the two men, he'd go for it.

"Near the village, the peaceful village, the lion sleeps tonight, near the village, the quiet village, the lion sleeps tonight."

Hearing a talented person singing can dissuade others from joining in. Hearing someone who was utterly average join someone talented however, can boost the confidence of everyone involved. Some teens with a number of piercings, tattoos and eyeliner started to join in, which was quite the strange visual. After that the flood gates broke open, and the rest of the car erupted in song. It was admittedly a perfect distraction. The train rolled into another station just as they got to "Hush my darling". Bucky, looking at Steve, twitched his head and the two exited the train. Their potential pursuers stayed put.

Back on the surface, the two cut through the alleys in a pattern so convoluted JARVIS would've had a hard time figuring it out. They stopped near an exit, because eventually Steve couldn't hold it in any more. His laughter proved infectious and soon they were both laughing. Once it subsided, Bucky gave Steve a grin and continued to hum "Hush my darling" under his breath. Then a peculiar look came over his face.

"What is it?" Steve asked. Bucky didn't answer, remaining pensive for a few more seconds. Then he nodded to himself, leaned in and pressed his lips to Steve. _Definitely_ cherry, he thought. Then he broke the kiss. Steve looked surprised.

"Thought I saw something" he said blasé as could be.

"Huh?" Steve asked.

"Public displays of affection make people very uncomfortable," Bucky said wisely, turning away so that Steve couldn't seem his wide grin or the faint flush on his face. "We should get going, there's another safe house not far from here." He glanced subtly left and right, checking to make sure no one was looking, and stepped out onto the sidewalk.

"Bwah?" Steve asked.


End file.
